<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>pariah by bluesandbirds</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27850058">pariah</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesandbirds/pseuds/bluesandbirds'>bluesandbirds</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>threads [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Betrayal, Dream Smp, Exile, Family Dynamics, Friendship, Gen, Happy Ending, Healing, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kinda, Niki | Nihachu and Ranboo are Siblings, Platonic Relationships, at least, because I like that, guys i'm 26 fics in and i still dont know how to tag, i think, who let me get this far</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 22:08:53</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,296</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27850058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bluesandbirds/pseuds/bluesandbirds</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>tommyinnit has never been anybody's first choice<br/>but neither has sapnap<br/>and neither has fundy<br/>and so maybe, there is something there.</p><p>final possible ending to "how wars are like dodgeball" as per usual it can also be a stand-alone</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Floris | Fundy &amp; TommyInnit, Niki | Nihachu &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Ranboo &amp; TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), Toby Smith | Tubbo &amp; TommyInnit, TommyInnit &amp; Sapnap (Video Blogging RPF)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>threads [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2034271</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>179</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1591</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Completed stories I've read, Crow Cult's DSMP Favorites</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. the good soldiers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>
  <em> "Tommy, you are hereby exiled." </em>
</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>i've been writing this sapnap storyline since before i released war/dodgeball and now the man wants to go and roleplay exactly what i was writing about? well, here it is to wrap up the series.<br/>it's totally a tommyinnit song too but rat by penelope scott as a sapnap song...</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>On the 4th of December, TommyInnit is exiled from the country he helped found. This is done at the behest of his enemy and by the hand of his best friend.</p>
<p>Tubbo does what is right for his country because he is a good president. (He is the best they have.)</p>
<p>But what those who remain forget is what the pariah has always known.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"L'Manburg is still alive and it doesn't matter if it's blown to smithereens, if Techno kills everyone. As long as we're still together, then L'Manburg lives on."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>On the 4th of December, President Tubbo exiles his best friend to protect L'Manburg. On the 4th of December, L'Manburg dies.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"L'Manburg is a togetherness."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>L'Manburg has never been land or a uniform or a flag, and Dream realized that too.</p>
<p>The masked god watched them rebuild once again after their land was destroyed. He watched and he observed and he learned. Now, he tears them apart.</p>
<p>Dream wins on that Friday. He shatters that togetherness and so he shatters L'Manburg and he shatters the boy.</p>
<p>See, what they've forgotten is the words of a man who was once good, once noble, once right, until he too forgot.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Until the day we stop breathing and the moment the dream we have of a self-emancipated nation away from Dream SMP falls—it's the minute we let go of that dream—that's when he has won. Men, are you gonna let go of that dream? Then L'Manburg cannot fall."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>When they make a deal to appease the man who is the antithesis of everything they stand for.</p>
<p>When they agree to his terms.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"L'Manburg can be independent, but L'Manburg can't be free."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>That is when L'Manburg falls.</p>
<p>L'Manburg is not a patchwork expanse of land.</p>
<p>It's not wooden houses or paper lanterns, no matter how pretty they are.</p>
<p>These only make up the shell that holds the love and the life that once resided in the crater.</p>
<p>At least they have the shell.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>TommyInnit has none of these things as he barrels through the woods, caution in the wind and tears in his eyes.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"REVOKE THE CITZENSHIP OF—"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Nobody is on our side."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Selfish."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>What he told Ranboo just days before was wrong.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"He's picking his nation over me. And if he does on Friday, I don't know what I'm gonna do with myself."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He knows exactly what to do. It's an instinct that's been ingrained in his bones since before he knew anything else.</p>
<p>Tommy <em>runs</em>.</p>
<p>It all flies past. Hills and trees and flowers and rivers. His feet take him somewhere his mind is not ready to accept.</p>
<p>The dirt entrance is still there, unblocked like they so often left it.</p>
<p>Tommy holes up in the same place he and his brothers once found refuge in.</p>
<p>Pogtopia was waiting for him.</p>
<p>Heavy darkness. Stale air. Silence like a tomb.</p>
<p>Unlike the first time, he is alone.</p>
<p>And nobody comes looking.</p>
<p>Tommy collapses against a wall. He can already hear it, the unforgiving loop of <em>let's be the bad guys </em>queued to haunt him for the rest of his damnation. He curls into himself, clutching at his torso, head, arms—his body, all he has left—and <em>cries</em>.</p>
<p>Pogtopia makes no move to comfort him.</p>
<p> </p>
<hr/>
<p> </p>
<p>Sapnap kicks at a stone, sending it skidding across the forest floor. It sails through a bush, scaring away some poor creature that releases a terrified squeal. </p>
<p>He huffs and keeps moving.</p>
<p>He's taking a walk. Thinking.</p>
<p>Sapnap spends a lot of time thinking these days. More than he did before.</p>
<p>He never saw much need to. He knew what he was doing. He knew what he was fighting for. <em>Who</em> he was fighting for.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> "One day, George, the sun will set on my time here and will rise with you, as the new king." </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He wasn't Dream's choice for king. That's fine. Pretty titles and crowns don't suit him anyway.</p>
<p>He was Dream's right-hand on the battlefield, never mind that he never walked his side in peacetime.</p>
<p>Sapnap was loyal. He was brave. He was selfless. And this is what he gets for it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"I'm sure he cares about me, right? You think?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His fists tighten.</p>
<p>Sapnap scoffs to himself.</p>
<p>God, and he believed it too. He believed <em>him</em>.</p>
<p>In a sudden movement, he slams his fist against the closest tree, not even feeling the flare of pain on impact. From his lips, a sharp, frustrated shout.</p>
<p>
  <em>Fuck.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"You're speaking to Dream's right-hand man."</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>"You are the third member of the Dream Team. That is so embarrassing."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>DreamandGeorgeandSapnap.</p>
<p>DreamandGeorge and Sapnap</p>
<p>Dream and George and Sapnap.</p>
<p>He doesn't remember when it stopped being them.</p>
<p>Or maybe he does.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Sapnap, stop. Why are you, like, trying to divide us?"</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>As if he wasn't the one to do it first. To throw words like ammunition, uncaring of who got caught in the crossfire. To burn lines in the sand so deep no one could cross them. To define power as something only he was allowed to wield and grant. To value some stupid music discs over his friends.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"There's only one man who had that fish. He wouldn't give it to you though."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>He thinks about the Pet Wars and how they ended.</p>
<p>
  <em>Staring across the arena at Tommy. The boy who always seemed to be made of bullshit and bluster—brass and fire—looks tired.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sapnap doesn’t particularly want to fight him, he came here with the intent of negotiating peace, not fighting another battle with a child.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Tommy looks tired and he wonders how no one else sees it.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Dream smirking from the sidelines.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Karl, Punz, and Quackity looking on with anticipation.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Technoblade, carefully calm as always.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>When Tommy loses terribly, it's not a surprise. </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>He wasn't fighting like Sapnap's seen him fight—passion and fury—but instead just going through the motions. Another battle. Another day.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>Sapnap watches Tommy pick himself off the ground and walk away. There’s no pride in his chest.</em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>And then Sapnap realizes, maybe he’s tired too.</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Being 17 and ready to set the world ablaze under the orders of his best friend.</p>
<p>Being 19 and standing on the water’s edge, a bucket in his hands and a decision to make.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em> “I know you’ll never not be one of the hunters, Sapnap.” </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It haunts him at night. In his house of glass and wood surrounded by a shield of water.</p>
<p>He hears yips and buzzing and hooves on planks. Sees flashes of brown and grey and white.</p>
<p>He doesn't want to spend the rest of his life as one of the hunters.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>“The one factor, it’s the pets—the things you love.”</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The things you love.</p>
<p>He used to know.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"Tommy, no matter what happens tomorrow, hopefully we can be friends after it."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And that's why he finds himself standing over a boy's prone body tucked into the corner of a ravine.</p>
<p>He reaches out, coaxing him awake with care he'd almost forgot he possessed.</p>
<p>"Tommy. Wake up, big man."</p>
<p>Blue eyes blink open lazily followed quickly by awareness and alarm.</p>
<p>Tommy jolts away, pressing himself against the wall. His mouth opens in a snarl.</p>
<p>"Sapnap? The fuck are you doing here?'</p>
<p>Sapnap offers a gentle smile. "Friends," he says, "We promised."</p>
<p>Tommy eyes him with exhaustion and suspicion won from a lifetime of war and betrayal.</p>
<p>Sapnap doesn't falter. Slowly, he extends a hand to the boy in the corner.</p>
<p>A long stillness.</p>
<p>Pogtopia holds its breath.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>"We need friends right now more than anything."</em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>With shaking limbs and glass trust, Tommy takes it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. the good sons</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>
  <em>A thought occurs to the boy, “How’d you even know where to find me? You've never been down in Pogtopia."</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>Sapnap says, "Believe it or not, Fundy told me."</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>Tommy looks at him incredulously. "Fundy? Why?"</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>He shrugs. "I didn't ask, just ran."</em>
  <br/>
</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>the timeline is fuckery. absolute fucked fuckery. i hate it. i refuse to believe that wilbur is 50 or whatever bs he's pulling. i hate it so they're all their irl ages.<br/>okay, so i would love to have fundy and wilbur be biologically related like they are in canon, so you can take it like that.<br/>but due to the absolute fuckery that is the family trees and timeline, what's canon in my other fics and can also be seen here is that fundy was like 16ish and just living in the woods when they built l'manburg and so wilbur found him when they built the walls and fundy was like "i was born here" and, following the footsteps of his father, wilbur took a look at this kid and was said "mine now" (and of course fundy, being a little shit, was like "where do babies come from?" jokingly but then wilbur panicked and said salmon and now we're here) and eret is now adopting fundy to be his little brother<br/>idk dont ask me the details just take this</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>A pile of messily done leather books sits on a table in Philza's house. Each of them is signed by a child's hand. One of many things left behind.</p><p>Fundy reads over Tommy's "homework" more times than he'd like to admit.</p><p>It's not exactly high-brow literature. The boy shares none of his brothers' eloquence.</p><p>But, sprinkled in between the expletives and the colorful insults, there's a story to be read.</p><p>The entries go from <em>The tale of a Big Man by Big T, T Money, T Dog... </em>to <em>Woke up. Rebuilt my house again. Went on a walk. </em>plus a half-hearted <em>fuck you </em>in the margins.</p><p>Fundy reads it and resolutely does not worry about the boy who should've been family.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"The good old days, Tommy, the good old days."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Their last and maybe even <em>only</em> meaningful conversation. That sunset on the bench. It wasn't even that long ago, but he'd known even then that it wouldn't last. </p><p>Fundy isn't blind. Isn't ignorant.</p><p>He knows they're at war. (Even if everyone else is content to pretend that this is <em>peacetime</em>.)</p><p>He remembers who with.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I don't care about anything, actually, I care about your discs. I care more about your discs than you do. That's the only thing I care about in this server, actually."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He remembers what Dream is. What he is capable of doing.</p><p>Fundy runs his fingers across scars collected from the first war. Arrow scrapes and poorly healed burns.</p><p>He remembers who lit the TNT.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"I wanna see WHITE FLAGS! White flags! Outside your base, by tomorrow, at dawn, or you are DEAD!"</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Dream. Their greatest enemy. A monster. A maniac. A tyrant.</p><p>Dream who he wants to marry. Wants to love.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Oh. I meant Fundy."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Who cannot give him these things in return.</p><p>It rolls off his back. Fundy's used to coming second. Story of his life, really.</p><p>He remembers adoption day.</p><p>
  <em>Sitting on the docks, feet skimming the water, despair settling in his gut like a stone.</em>
</p><p>A conversation with Phil, this man known as <em>grandfather</em> with no claim to him other than tenuous ties to a dead man.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"He put me in priority number two, man. He put me in second place."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Who was number one?"</em>
</p><p> </p><p><em>L'Manburg</em>, Wilbur's greatest creation, his unfinished symphony, his pride and joy.</p><p>Wilbur's legacy. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Fundy, I depise you. You were my son and you just betrayed me."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>Fundy was never Wilbur's first choice and, watching the sun dip lower and lower with no trace of red or gold in sight, he comes to accept that he isn't Eret's either.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>He went home with Phil instead.</p><p>A second conversation before bed.</p><p>
  <em>Phil hovers by the doorway of his guest room. </em>
</p><p><em>He says, "Give Will some leeway." </em> <em>So eager to make excuses for his son now after failing him in life. "His memories are all fucked. He said you were young. He remembers you being 14 but not much else."</em></p><p><em>Fundy scoffs. He turns to face out the window. "</em> <em>I wasn't 14."</em></p><p>
  <em>Their L'Manburg shines under little lantern lights. His eyes linger on the space where the flag once waved. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>"Tommy was."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>That night, Fundy stays awake in an unfamiliar bed and decides that maybe he's done waiting for parents who'll never come.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>And now, he's here, reading the journal of a boy he'd always felt lived life parallel to him. (Parallel, but not opposite.)</p><p>In his father's books, Fundy fell behind Tommy and Tommy fell behind L’Manburg, and so Wilbur Soot was just a son of a bitch who never loved anyone as he should have.</p><p>But he's dead now. He makes no more choices.</p><p>Fundy refuses to let that man dictate his life any more.</p><p> </p><p>Fundy is a spy. Fundy is a secret keeper. Fundy is a fox.</p><p>People don't see Fundy. Don't notice or pick Fundy. Fundy won't be remembered. Won't make it into the history books. But that serves him just as well.</p><p>He writes notes and passes them to a man he once despised.</p><p>He slips into the shadows of the woods that have been more of a home to him than any man or flag.</p><p>He enters Pogtopia silently.</p><p>Tommy and Sapnap are there as they have been for the past week, sharing a meal of mutton and carrots. It's a step up from Pogtopia's previous standard of baked potatoes. (He once brought some steak with him and offered to share. Tommy just stared blankly while Sapnap shook his head, something haunted in his eyes.)</p><p>Tommy looks healthier than the last time Fundy saw them. He knows that, besides forcing him to consume a diet of more than starches, Sapnap has been taking the boy on walks and encouraging him to do friendly sparring matches. All in hopes of reigniting some of that fire that once lived in those eyes.</p><p>It seems to be working, but how well and for how long?</p><p>Sapnap gives him a nod which Fundy amiably returns.</p><p>Tommy perks up when he notices him, scrambling to his feet from the stone steps.</p><p>"Fundy! Big man! What's the news? How is everyone?"</p><p>It's almost like wartime again when Fundy was reporting on their enemies' every move. However, now he's notifying Tommy of how Big Q is taking his Vice President position and if Ranboo is holding up after everything.</p><p>He can tell his visits mean the world to the kid, snippets of a home he can't go back to. He'll take anything, inhales the scraps Fundy offers like a dying man.</p><p>Sapnap keeps him alive. Fundy keeps him sane. They all keep each other company.</p><p>"Come on." Fundy gestures over his shoulder. "Sun's setting. I'll update you as we watch."</p><p>They bid goodbye to Sapnap and hike the pathway up together.</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>Tommy jiggles his knee nervously as Fundy slides onto his spot next to him on the bench.</p><p>Sapnap had been the one to build it, sturdy spruce and much unlike the one back home.</p><p>The jukebox to the the side aches a little tune from one of the other man's discs. <em>Far. </em>A gentle melody with no strings attached.</p><p>His hands dig into the edge of the bench, white-knuckled with no regard for splinters.</p><p>"Well?" he asks, looking towards Fundy. "What is it?"</p><p>This is their routine. Sunset and a new disc and this bench and Fundy.</p><p>He's memorized the sparse details the other brings back, tries to paint himself a picture of L'Manburg now. He can imagine the new houses springing up in the nation's orbit, classic oak and stone. The colorful window-box flowers, cared for by Niki and Phil. The lantern lights like spiders across the sky.</p><p>The obsidian walls never make it into his visions. Neither do the brown patches of grass that never grew back or the permanent fissures. </p><p>"You'll never believe what Q did..." The man's voice washes over him.</p><p>Fundy's become quite the storyteller ever since they started these sessions.</p><p>Sometimes, if Tommy closes his eyes, it's his big brother narrating to him. He can't tell if that's fucked up or not.</p><p>The story pauses for a second, rhythm faltering as Fundy seems to second guess himself.</p><p>Tommy's eyes crack open.</p><p>Fundy says quietly, meaningfully, "He misses you."</p><p>He inhales sharply.</p><p>Tubbo features in all of his visions. </p><p>Brown hair, flailing hands, excited ramblings and...</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Goodbye, Tommy."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tommy swallows.</p><p>“I’m just—I’m not ready,” he says.</p><p>In the corner of his eye, Fundy nods.</p><p>The sun's glow is warm and heavy on Tommy's cheeks.</p><p>Quieter, he says, “Me too.”</p><p>The sky is orange now, a deep hue like it is every night, nothing golden or remarkable about it. Fundy's <em>Far </em>is one of a million copies scattered in chests across the server. Sapnap made the bench out of a random tree in a forest of identical ones.</p><p>There's nothing here for the history books. Tommy thinks he doesn't mind.</p><p>"Tubbo's taking good care of L'Manburg," Fundy continues. And only a little bitterly, "Making dear old Mr. Soot proud." Tommy doesn't even have to try to decipher that one.</p><p>He breathes in the night air, crisp and sharp, and releases it slowly. “He was wrong, you know?”</p><p>“What?”</p><p>“Wilbur was sure that L’Manburg was his legacy. It’s not." The thing about being exiled in a ravine is that self-reflection becomes your top pastime. And Tommy's done it twice.</p><p>He's gained something from these wars other than nightmares and scars.</p><p>"It’s us," he says, "The people he loved. Who loved him.”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"The things you love."</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Fundy hums something like acknowledgement.</p><p>The sun's barely cresting the treetops. They have a matter of seconds before it disappears behind the hill.</p><p>It's all different. Different sunset. Different bench. Different music. Different people.</p><p>He doesn't have L'Manburg or his Embassy or <em>their</em> spot. He has none of it.</p><p>What he does have is his body, his mind, his heart (beating steady as it should), his words, his fortitude, and Sapnap and Fundy.</p><p>There's a perfectly good view of the sunset, it's not his view (their view), but it's the same sun and it's a view, so Tommy sits next to his friend and watches it all go down.</p><p>Tommy would have died for L'Manburg, but today he lives. For Sapnap. For Fundy.</p><p>(And one day, it'll be for him too.)</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>okay i know i said this last chapter but rat by penelope scott also with fundy? "but you were beautiful and vulnerable and power and success / goddamn i fell for you" referring to dream?<br/>I recognize that the storywriters have made a decision (fwt not canon within smp) but i wish they woulda made it before i wrote this chapter</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. the good kids</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>
  <em>“Someone’s been asking about you.”</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em> Tommy huffs. “If you say Tubbo, I swear."</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>Fundy smiles.</em>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <em>"No, not Tubbo."</em>
  <br/>
</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tommy holds his breath as a cloud of dust puffs into the air, sent up by the drag of his sneakers across the ground. </p><p>He hears a grunt of protest from Sapnap walking behind him.</p><p>"Watch it," the other man grumbles.</p><p>"Sorry," is his halfhearted reply.</p><p>He continues to scuff his sneakers on the dirt, absently noting that he thinks they used to be white. There's a small hole near the tip and he can see the top of his toe if he flexes his foot. There's a fleeting thought of <em>I need new shoes. </em>Tommy inwardly scoffs.</p><p>This is the furthest he's been from the ravine in a very, very long time. Briefly, he and Sapnap had entertained the idea of visiting Sam, a man who had once offered them both sanctuary, but given that George also has a room in his house, it was quickly scrapped. After that, Tommy never even thought about going further than the spruce bench.</p><p>Tommy lifts his head to stare at Fundy's back.</p><p>The older man hasn't looked back or attempted to start a conversation since he shook Tommy awake that morning with a whisper of <em>follow me.</em></p><p>And sure, Tommy was content to amuse him when he was still half-asleep and resigned but now the sun is up, and it's been miles, and there's a hole in his shoe.</p><p>"Where are we going?" he absolutely does not whine.</p><p>He hears a sigh. Fundy cranes his neck back to exchange looks with Sapnap, both remembering why they used to war with this child.</p><p>Sapnap is the one to step up, gently nudging Tommy's shoulder. "You'll see when we get there."</p><p>"Which is?"</p><p>"Er..." Sapnap looks to Fundy. "When are we getting there?"</p><p>Fundy groans. "Just shut up and keep walking. We're not far."</p><p>"Far from where?" Tommy asks, "You haven't actually said anything."</p><p>Fundy says, "Because I can't. I can only show you."</p><p>Tommy mumbles more to himself than anything, "You can't blame me for having bad memories of people leading me to secret places."</p><p>He nearly runs into Fundy's back when the other man comes to a stop.</p><p>By his side, Sapnap's footsteps silence.</p><p>Fundy turns, looking Tommy straight on. "I promise it's not like that."</p><p>Tommy ducks the eye contact. "How do I know you're not lying?"</p><p>Fundy blows out a breath. "Fine." A hand reaches into his pocket, resurfacing with his communicator.  "I would have liked to be closer, but if you're just going to complain..." He squints at the screen before nodding decisively. "Yes, this should be close enough."</p><p>Tommy looks around.</p><p>An endless expanse of brown. Dirt and rocks and an absence of life.</p><p>"Uhh, Fundy, there's actually an overwhelming amount of <em>nothing </em>here, so..."</p><p>Fundy rolls his eyes. "Wait," he says, holding up a hand.</p><p>For a moment, there's only the movement of the wind, a faint chill brushing against their clothes and hair.</p><p>Tommy scratches the back of his neck. "Yeah, Fundy, I don't think—"</p><p>Something smacks his arm. Sapnap, with his hand still raised, points off into the distance.</p><p>"Do you see that?"</p><p>Tommy follows his finger.</p><p>There's a tall figure on the horizon line. </p><p>Tommy squints. He makes out the glint of something shiny. A smudge of white.</p><p>His eyes widen.</p><p>The figure gets larger and larger, long legs rushing forward at a rapid rate.</p><p>"Tommy!"</p><p>Ranboo crashes into his friend, nearly bowling over the smaller boy.</p><p>Tommy stumbles a few steps back, arms coming around him instinctively.</p><p>A bewildered "Ranboob?" escapes from his lips.</p><p>The other boy doesn't even comment on the nickname, pulling back to ramble, "Sorry, sorry. I just—It's good to see you, man."</p><p>He looks Tommy up and down, either checking him over or trying to make sure he's real.</p><p>"I'm sorry for not—" His words trip over each other, barely enough space between them to breath. "I wanted to go with you, I did, but my sister said to stay. That I was no good to you if I was exiled too." He blows out a breath. "How have you been?"</p><p>Tommy thinks about days spent as a lump on the ground, barely summoning the will to open his eyes. Sapnap having to force him to choke down carrots and mutton. Phasing out of coversation with Fundy and coming back to concerned silence from the older man.</p><p>He would never have wanted his new friend to see him like that.</p><p>Tommy musters his Big Man™ grin and throws an arm around Ranboo's shoulder. "It's been great, dude. Just chilling in a dank ravine with Snapchat and the furry, you know how it is."</p><p>"Right," Ranboo says. He has the decency to hide most of his skepticism. "Chilling."</p><p>Tommy grins even more, big and fake, and everyone there knows he's lying but he's not really sure what else to do.</p><p>Ranboo speaks first, "Well, you don't have to be in that ravine anymore. My sister built a special place for people like us."</p><p>"Like us?"</p><p>"The people with nowhere to go."</p><p>(The<em> second choices</em>, they all hear.)</p><p>Ranboo smiles jerking his head over his shoulder. "C'mon, I'll show you the way."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Goodbye, Tommy."</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Outrage from the gathered crowd.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Dream grabs the shell-shocked boy, manhandling him away from the wall.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>"No!" Ranboo cries, rushing forward to his new friend. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Niki catches his wrist. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> He tugs at her grip, but she holds firm and shakes her head. </em>
</p><p><em> Niki loves Tommy, but Ranboo is her brother. (</em> <em>She's seen what exile does to brothers.)</em></p><p>
  <em>But Niki has also been the one left behind, cursing that her friends have gone where she cannot follow.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> She builds a city. With her own two hands, soft and shaky but strong and sure. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She does it for her boys. All of them. </em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>Under the soles of their feet, brown gives way to lush green. Rocks become flowers. <em>Nothing </em>becomes <em>life</em>.</p><p>Colorful flowers explode in clusters across the grassy floor. The buzzing and bleating of creatures can be heard all along their trek. </p><p>Ranboo pushes aside greenery, revealing a hidden entrance to unknown depths. He looks to Tommy.</p><p>White-knuckled fists at his side.</p><p>He remembers blackstone, buttons, bedrock, brothers, and betrayal.</p><p>But Tommy's never had any less to lose.</p><p>With a steadying breath, he ducks his head into the darkness.</p><p>It's pitch black on the walk there, the only light be the faint glow of Ranboo's eyes, vague spots of red and green.</p><p>He remembers a story Techno told him about a boy on a trip from the Underworld. He was in a tunnel too, impenetrable darkness and unknown distance. The boy in the story was supposed to lead his girlfriend out of the Underworld, but he couldn't look back to see if she was there. Tommy hated it because the boy was so close, only to lose at the last possible second. </p><p>Tommy can feel Fundy's arm brushing his and he can hear Sapnap's breathes behind him.</p><p>There's a brightness far ahead of them.</p><p>Tommy is not Orpheus.</p><p>The group steps into the underground city.</p><p>Mouths agape in awe.</p><p>"What is this place?"</p><p>Ranboo smiles. "Home."</p><p>A voice from the other side of the chamber. "Ranboo? Did you find—oh!" A gasp.</p><p>And suddenly, Tommy is wrapped in warmth and the smell of bread.</p><p><em>Niki</em>.</p><p>Tears prick at his eyes.</p><p>It's not like Sapnap's bear hugs, the kind that Tommy could melt into and be safe from the rest of the world.</p><p>It's not like Fundy's awkward side hugs, the kind that only happen after long talks under the guise of being cold.</p><p>Niki's hug makes him feel cherished.</p><p>She's smaller than him, but his chin fits perfectly over her head and she's solid and warm and real.</p><p>When she pulls away, he releases an embarrassing whine that he's sure the others are going to tease him for later.</p><p>She gives him a soft smile that quells his conflict before pulling Fundy into a hug of his own.</p><p>Tommy sniffs.</p><p>He didn't cry in front of Sapnap or Fundy. He's spent most of his exile oscillating between numb and desperately trying to be fine. But now, he thinks he could cry for hours upon hours and never run out of tears.</p><p>Niki was L'Manburg never touched by the war, only joining the server after the fighting was done. He was able to look at her without feeling an arrow punching through his lungs.</p><p>Baking sweets in her bakery, hurling flour at Tubbo and getting frosting in his hair.</p><p>Ganging up on Wilbur, teasing him until he turned red and knowing he was no match for their combined puppy dog eyes.</p><p>Sitting in the grass silently, being able to let his walls down and just enjoy the other's company.</p><p>He thinks he really missed Niki.</p><p>Tommy gathers his composure enough to look back over to the group.</p><p>Niki is standing in front of Sapnap, sizing up the man.</p><p>Fundy and Ranboo watch anxiously from the side.</p><p>"You've caused a lot of pain," she says quietly. "Why should I welcome you into our home?"</p><p>Sapnap's eyes are fixed on the ground as he says, "I've changed, I promise, I'm not—I'm <em>not </em>that guy anymore. The one who only want to kill and steal and burn the world. That's not me. I don't think that's ever been me. I'm sorry and I don't know how to make it up to you, but if you'll have me, I'm willing to try." He meets her unflinching gaze with repentance. </p><p>From beside him, Fundy says, "I forgive him."</p><p>This earns a hitched breath from the other man.</p><p>It's not something he's ever said before.</p><p>He turns, looking Sapnap in the eyes. "I forgive you," he repeats.</p><p>Sapnap swallows.</p><p>"Me too," Tommy adds.</p><p>Niki regards him.</p><p>They all hold their breath.</p><p>Slowly, she nods.</p><p>"You can stay."</p><p>A relieved exhale.</p><p>The corners of her lips quirk up.</p><p>Niki gestures over her shoulder. "Come, I'll show you to your rooms."</p><p> </p><p>It's been two weeks since they started living in Niki's city.</p><p>Tommy's been doing much better, laughs like he means it and smiles without having to think about it.</p><p>He's in his room, furiously scribbling in a journal that Fundy had absently tossed his way.</p><p>Tommy is a social creature. He loves talking to people, meeting new people, being with people. Tommy loves people.</p><p>Sapnap and Fundy were good company, but even the addition of Niki and Ranboo to his daily life made everything so much better.</p><p>It's especially nice to have Ranboo there, someone close to his age and who isn't constantly trying to make him eat something or <em>take better care of himself. </em></p><p>That's not to say he doesn't care. Ranboo cares in his own way, awkward and unsure, but caring nonetheless.</p><p>Though, hanging out with the other boy has made him miss...</p><p>A knock on his door breaks him out of his thoughts.</p><p>He looks up to see Fundy with his serious face on.</p><p>"Someone's here to see you."</p><p>Tommy sucks in a breath.</p><p>It's been a long time coming.</p><p>He stands.</p><p>"I'm ready."</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>"Goodbye, Tommy." </em>
</p><p><em>The words burn his throat on the way out. </em> <em>Desperately, Tubbo wants to snatch them from the air, stuff them in his pocket, forget that they're there.</em></p><p>
  <em>He cannot.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Fundy and Quackity are spitting outrage to his unhearing ears.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He feels the disappointed stares.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His fists clench at his sides.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Don't they understand? </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's for L'Manburg. His country.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>It's all he has. This chunk of land, this title, these memories. Tubbo doesn't want to repeat history, but what if history's all that's left?</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tubbo will protect L'Manburg even if the people in it are unwilling. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>Tubbo will protect history.</em>
</p><p> </p><p>Tubbo sits on a bench set up in the main chamber of the city.</p><p>Tommy lingers at the end of the hall, trepidation weighing down his limbs.</p><p>Strong hands collide with his back, shoving him forward.</p><p>He glares at Fundy who nods encouragingly.</p><p>When he looks over, Tubbo is staring at him.</p><p>"Hey—" There's a <em>Mr. President </em>that gets caught in his throat. He swallows it. "Hey."</p><p>A smile.</p><p>Summer days. Laughter. Feeling unstoppable with his best friend at his side.</p><p>"Hi."</p><p>There's so much between them—things left unsaid, things that should have been left unsaid—but all that makes it past his lips is, "I missed you."</p><p>He thinks the other stuff can wait when Tubbo replies with, "I missed you too."</p><p> </p><p>Maybe Wilbur was right, maybe they lost L'Manburg somewhere between the policies and the secrets and the warring.</p><p>But maybe they've found it again in this underground city built by a woman who cares too much.</p><p>L'Manburg has never been a cluster of empty houses on stilts or fancy words on a page.</p><p>It's been Tommy. It's been Tubbo. It's been Wilbur. It's been Eret.</p><p>It's all of them. Here. Now. Together.</p><p>
  <em>The things you love.</em>
</p><p>Tommy lost his home, but it came back to him.</p><p>Tommy is not Theseus.</p><p> </p><p>They exchange apologies where they would have exchanged insults. Comforting touches override where angry shoves made contact. Tentative jokes that land just right sooth the spaces where hateful words burrowed.</p><p>(Tommy is not Wilbur. Tubbo is not Schlatt. History will be remembered, but it does not have to repeat. Only those who believe otherwise are the ones caught in its claws.)</p><p>It's almost the perfect moment, they're just missing...</p><p>Tommy checks the clock Sapnap gave him a few weeks into exile—<em>I</em><em>f you're not back by the time the small hand is on the 11, I'll have to assume you're dead. Shit, when did I become a mom?</em></p><p>He takes a second to decipher the time, but when he does, his eyes widen.</p><p>Tommy jolts up, twisting around in search of an enderchest or a path up to the surface.</p><p>"We're gonna miss it," it all tumbles from his lips, frantic and fast. "The sunset, we can't miss it. We need discs—no, we need a jukebox. Fuck, where do we even get out o—"</p><p>Tubbo grabs his hand.</p><p>"Tommy."</p><p>Tommy stops, wide-eyed and mouth open. </p><p>He looks him in the eyes.</p><p><em>I'm here</em>.</p><p>Slowly, Tommy exhales, shoulders dropping and arms falling limp at his sides. His mouth shuts with a <em>click</em> of his teeth.</p><p>He sits back down.</p><p>
  <em>That's enough.</em>
</p><p>The sun sets above the ground. Tommy doesn't know how long it takes or what colors the sky changed or if the discs sound sweeter carried by these new winds. </p><p>But Niki's laugh echoes through the stone halls. But Fundy's support weighs heavy and reassuring on his shoulders. But Ranboo's relieved smile and Sapnap's hugs are tattooed in his memory.</p><p>Tommy's hands are cold, and Tubbo is warm, and he feels okay.</p><p>There's no such thing as happy endings, not for heroes.</p><p>But goddamnit, if TommyInnit isn't willing to try.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>i imagine tommy and tubbo's conversation something to the effect of 'for good' from wicked. "just to clear the air, i ask forgiveness for the things i've done you blame me for" "but then i guess we know there's blame to share but none of it seems to matter anymore" and then they harmonize<br/>guys,, i rly don't know much about niki's city, i tried but info wasn't exactly plentiful given that it's secret. imagine it however you want, i tried to keep the description vague<br/>anyways, i just wanted to pump this out before finals week, thank you so much to everyone who read this story, the reception to wars/dodgeball was actually insane, i didn't expect people to like it that much but im honored if you've stuck around and read this little series &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>